She just couldn't leave
by mrs-bristow
Summary: What if Irina just couldn't leave on that night? what would Jack have said if he found out who she really was?
1. Saying goodbye

{A/N – Hi there! just trying out a new idea. It was meant to be just a kind of venting of all the what ifs that go through my head whenever I watch my season two DVD's but once I started, I just couldn't stop going. Please R&R!!}  
  
Irina lay next to the man she loved and listened as his breathing became heavy and she knew he was sleeping. The sedatives she had stirred into his drink had worked nicely and Jack wouldn't be awake for hours. She silently arose and dressed hastily. Looking at the sleeping man, she packed her things and put them into the family suitcase.

When she had received the order earlier that day to be gone from her temporary family by midnight, she had thought it would be easy, but saying goodbye had been harder than she thought. Her superiors had decided against the death of Laura Bristow as the authorities would not find a body and may become suspicious. They had decided that she would leave her neglectful husband and leave a note explaining how she no longer loved him and had wanted to be left alone.

The trouble was, even though Jack was always rushing off to work and more often than not fell asleep in his den, head deep In some kind of report or other, he was a loving husband who cared both for Laura and their daughter. They had had a conversation just that afternoon about how much they meant to each other. Irina had practically burst into tears there and then but managed to hold them in as Sydney pulled Jack off to play ball with the dog.

Upon the third draft of the goodbye letter, Irina threw the pad across the room angrily. She couldn't break their hearts like this. Jack stirred as the flutter of paper sounded next to the bed but didn't awake. Everything she wrote sounded wrong so she decided to go and say goodbye to her daughter mentally before she found the right lies upon which Sydney's whole life would undoubtedly lie from the moment her father found it suitable to show her the letter.

Sydney looked so peaceful as she slept. They had been to the park earlier that day and the whole family had played football until the only one left standing had been Potty their dog. Even with the CIA training Jack had been through and the KGB training Irina had endured, non of them could keep up with that puppy.

She remembered when Arvin had bought it into the house and handed it to Sydney with a big red bow around its neck. She had words with him later but neither had any intention of removing the lively ball of fluff from Sydney's arms unless they had a death wish. Longing to lay in jacks arms as she kissed her daughters head and returned to her and jacks room to pick up her bags, she suddenly had a thought.

Why not?

She threw her bags down and crawled underneath the covers only intending to lie there for a few minutes but knowing that if he awoke she would never be able to leave.

Suddenly they were both awakened by the loud beeping of the alarm. Irina shot up and pressed the button but she was too late. Jack was staring down at her while she shifted to glance at what he had been staring at. It was then that it dawned on her – she was sitting there fully clothed and shoed. His eyes shifted to the suitcase at the foot of the bed and he looked shocked.

"Laura?"

"Look Jack I know what this looks like its just that..."

"Were you leaving me? Us?"

"No... well yes..." She had no idea what to say to him. He looked like a confused child who's just found their parents putting the presents under the tree at Christmas instead of Santa. She loved this man more than she could ever say yet opening up to him seemed harder than leaving him. At least if she would have left she wouldn't have had too see the pained expression that she was currently face to face with.

"Why? What happened. Just last night you were telling me just how perfect our life is and just how much you care for us all. Was that a lie to get me feeling safe before you took off?"

"No, I meant every word I said last night. That's why I couldn't leave you. That's why I couldn't go."

"It looks like you got pretty far to me. Laura what's going on?" Sydney had heard all of the commotion and sleepily dragged her comfort blanket into her parents bedroom.

"Mommy? Daddy? Are we going on holiday?" She whispered confused at the presence of her parents suitcase out of storage and full of belongings. Her mother who was now removing her coat and standing next to her nearly dressed father, walked over to her.

"No Sydney we aren't. go back to bed. Mommy and daddy need to talk about grown up things right now. Ok?"

"Ok mommy." The perplexed six year old said as she returned to her room and climbed into bed.

"Answer me then." Jack said as he fastened his shirt.

"I cant."

"Why? Talk to me." His face drained from all colour and he looked up. "Is there someone else?"

"No of course not... well there is some one...but not in the way you think."

"Who?" "Her name is Irina Derevko."

"And she would be...?"

"Me."  
  
{A/N – Should I carry on or is it just so unrealistic that its unbelievable? Come on people I need feedback so PLEASE review!! Thanks for reading!}


	2. sometimes the truth hurts

{A/N – WOW!! That was a lot of reviews!! I'm hoping for more now!!! For the love of cheese...!! This chapter was extra fun to write and even I wasn't expecting the twist at the end. Any ideas as to where I should go are welcome and will be used if they fit together. So as always please R&R!!}  
  
The room echoed with her words as Jack attempted to register them.

"What are you talking about Laura? Who's this woman and what does she have to do with you leaving me?"

"Did you not hear me? She has everything to do with me leaving you. She... she is me."

"What?"

"Ok." She sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at him. "Have you heard of a Russian terrorist group called the KGB?"

"Of course I ha... what? How do you know of them?"

She paused unsure of what to say and looking at his worried face, she decided to just come straight out with it.

"I'm one of them."  
  
"Laura if this is some sort of sick joke..."

"Its not. Jack just listen to me."

"I don't think I want to." He was getting extremely afraid of what she was going to say next.

"I'm an officer for the KGB. My name is Irina Derevko."

"WHAT?" Jack stood and began to pace. "Then where is my wife? Who is Laura?"

"I'm here too." The truth dawned on him as tears began to form in his eyes.

"You mean Laura's a lie?"

"Not exactly. I was sent here to seduce and marry a CIA officer and then find out information from him about a project that the CIA was producing called Project Christmas. I had to gather as much information on him and then when he was no longer valuable, I was to leave him for some stranger if he was lucky. If he wasn't, I would have to kill him and make it look like an accident."

"You were going to kill me?"

"No. Just listen." Jack shocked and confused moved to sit next to her on the bed. It was still early and the room was filled with darkness. The lone shadows cast dark expressions upon their faces. "I did something I wasn't supposed to. I fell in love with you. I fell in love with our daughter." The memories of the hardships she had to endure upon becoming pregnant with Sydney flooded her mind. "I had to plead for her life when I became pregnant. They were going to drug me and force me to have an abortion but luckily I managed to convince them that it was for the good of the mission that I kept the baby. Jack..." The tears that had been working their way to the surface since she awoke began to trace lines of salty liquid down her face. "For the last two years I've been giving them false information. I've been lying to the KGB and transferring false documents that I supposedly stole from you."

"Laura... Irina... whoever you are just stop. Do you really expect me to believe this?"

"Yes." She whispered looking up at him through her tears.

"How can I? You've just turned my whole life upside down. Our daughters life. EVERYTHING."

"Shhh Jack don't wake Sydney." Jack felt betrayed and hurt. He looked at the woman he loved and realised that she was crying. He wanted nothing more than to rush up to her and hold her until they stopped but instead he opted to conceal his true feelings and take the much easier option of becoming angry and aggressive.

"Like you care. You were going to break her heart. She would have grown up thinking that her mother didn't love her. Didn't care and just left her in the middle of the night without so much of a second thought."

"That's just it. That's what I've been trying to tell you. I couldn't leave. I looked at her and then at you and I couldn't do it. Even if it meant they'd kill me tomorrow, I'd rather have had one more night lying in your arms with our sleeping daughter in the next room than a whole life knowing that I betrayed you."

"You did betray me. Us. How can I believe you? What am I supposed to do now?"

"Well I don't know."

"Why did you tell me? What did you expect?"

"I've told you. I don't know. I thought that it was better that you knew the truth. The person that you've been living with is still me. The weird liking of Russian literature, the quirks and disliking of marmite. Its all me... just not me. There are things you don't know like my past and my family but everything here and now, every feeling and gesture has been complete truth and I wish that you would believe me."

Jack looked down at the woman of whom he thought he knew the best in the world. It turns out that he really didn't know her at all. He looked at her eyes, tired and worn, he looked at her hands nervously fiddling in her lap and smiled. She was the woman he loved. She was still Laura.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because I've just realised that you are still every bit the woman I fell in love with, you just have a few more layers that I have yet to peel away." He got up and walked over to his briefcase and pulled out a cell phone. He handed it to her and she mentioned that it was damp but she put it in her pocket. "This has a secure untraceable line. Use it to call me if anything seems suspicious. I have to go to work and find out more about my wife." He sighed. "We have lots to talk about but I'll save it for tonight."

"Are you going to turn me in?" She said at almost a whisper.

"I was going to, but you and I both know that I couldn't. That I'm not that kind of man." He turned to leave. "I'll see you later." With that he was gone. He had left the room and eventually the building.

Irina collapsed onto the pillow and sobbed. She felt the whole bed shake as her cries echoed around the room. She lay and thought about the past two hours. Jack had seemed so hurt, so dazed. She knew they were in for a hard time but as long as they were together, she didn't care.  
  
The closer Jack got to the CIA office, the angrier he got. By the time he reached the directors office he was fuming.

"What kind of an office cant even spot a measly little Russian spy when they do a background check?" He shouted as he entered.

"Calm down Jack. What's going on?" The startled man said as he stood up.

"NO I will not calm down William. The woman to whom I have been married to for the last eight years is in fact a Russian spy." William Vaughn stood there shocked at his friends outburst.

"How do you know?"

"She told me."

"What? You mean she turned herself in?"

"No. I mean she told me that she was a spy but she has been feeding them incorrect information for the past few years because she fell in love with me and could no longer betray me."

"Do you believe her?" Jack thought about it for a moment becoming more calm. "Yes. I know she was telling the truth. She had this innocence about her that she's never had before. It was as if she was finally being honest with me for the first time in our relationship."

"Did you just leave her alone?"

"Yes but I transferred a liquid tracer onto her and it should have instantly seeped into the skin on her hand. I'll go and check her location."

"How did you manage that?"

"I smeared it onto a cell I gave her. She either didn't notice or simply shrugged it off."

"Fine. Go and check where she is but don't tell anyone else. Leave it to me. Just give me her real name and I'll check up on her with one of my non CIA contacts."

"Non CIA?" Jack was confused.

"Look Jack. No matter what you say, I know you love her so if she's telling the truth then I see no reason to turn her in and we can find some way to deal with this." Jack left the office hoping that she was in fact telling the truth this time because if she wasn't... he knew she would have to die.  
  
{A/N – Muhahahaha I'll leave it there!! I'll post the next chapter as quick as I get reviews. It only takes a few seconds even if you only tell me that your liking it (Or not)!! Thanks for reading!!}


	3. A little help from a friend

{A/N – I never expected to get so many reviews!! Thank you people, keep it up and I will too!! Also, do you think that I should refer to jacks beloved wife as Irina or Laura? I don't know... any suggestions would be sooo good!! }  
  
Sydney had long since woken and was sitting on her bed. She could hear her mother crying through the wall and she knew something was wrong. She was an intelligent girl and had sensed that something was not right with her parents. Since the phone call, she had sat there waiting. Earlier, before he left, her father had come to see her.

"Sydney?"

"Daddy?"

"Its ok its me."

"Are you and mommy cross with each other?"

"No..." He was unsure as what to say to her. after all she was only six. "Mommy and daddy are just a little grumpy that's all. Everything is ok. Now be a good girl and get some sleep before you have to go to school." She knew better than to question her father. He was the cleverest person she knew and he would never lie to her.

"Ok daddy." Jack gave his daughter a kiss on her forehead and left the room as she snuggled back into bed. Some time later she was awoken by the sound of the phone ringing and no-one was answering it so she answered it like her parents had told her to.  
  
"Bristow residence."

"Hello Sydney is your mother there?" The warm voice of Emily Sloane replied.

"Yes she is but she can't come to the phone right now."

"Why not?"

"She's in her room. She's been in there all morning. Mommy and Daddy were fighting and now mommy wont stop crying."

"I see. Is your daddy there?"

"No. He went to work."

"I'll be right round. Get ready for school like a good girl and wait for me."

"Ok Aunt Emily. Bye." It was then that she went upstairs to listen to her mother and sit on her bed.  
  
Half an hour later, Emily was at the door tending to a now dressed Sydney. She had tried to put on her uniform. It was a fair attempt and she only needed help with her tie.  
  
"Uncle Arvin is waiting in the car. Go down to him and he'll drop you off at school."

"What about my lunch?"

"I've made you a sandwich. Its in a bag in the car."

"Can I go say bye to mommy?"

"I think mommy might want to see you later when you get back from school. Why don't you wait until then?"  
  
Sloan, who had been waiting in the car was approaching the doorstep.

"Sydney. Hello." {A/N - Eire or what?!!}

"Hi Uncle Arvin." He turned to Emily. "Is everything alright?"

"I can hear her sobs from down here. The poor thing. They must have had one hell of a fight."

"I'll talk to Jack when I get to work. For now though, I'll get this one off to school."  
  
Sydney held his hand and walked towards the car. When they had disappeared, Emily made a cup of coffee and approached Laura's door. She quietly tapped at the wooden frame and entered. Laura was curled up into a ball on the bed looking like she hadn't moved for hours.

"Laura?"

"Emily is that you?" She replied through sniffles.

"Yes. Arvin took Sydney to school and I've made you a coffee."

"How did you know?"

"I rang earlier and Sydney answered. She said she that you were crying and I came straight over." Irina took the cup and sipped. She grabbed a tissue from the nightstand and began to wipe her face.

"Oh Emily, you are such a good friend. Thank you for caring enough to come over."

"Its ok. Laura, what happened? You and Jack never fight. Your like the most compatible couple ever."

"Well..." She was unsure of what to say and so decided to say what was closest to the truth. "I've betrayed him."

"What? You mean you had an affair?"

"No. I mean that I've been deceiving him for a long time and when I finally came clean, it was awful." Emily sensed that her friend wasn't ready to reveal the truth to her yet and so she let it lie.

"I'm sure he's grateful that you came clean rather than carrying on deceiving him and its not like you haven't been through enough deceit and revelations in your life what with our husbands jobs and all."

"Exactly. I thought that with what he does, he'd be able to take it. I knew he would be upset but I had no idea that it would feel so awful. I'm trained to handle worse things than this. I can withstand hours of tourtu..."

"Trained? I don't understand. How are you trained?" Irina realised that she was opening up too much and decided to try and pull herself together. As she stood, a wave of nausea took over her and she swayed as she attempted to get her words out.

"I mean that I..."

Irina fell to the floor as she lost consciousness.  
  
Jack had arrived at the office a few hours earlier than he should have been and so had been catching up on reports when he saw and moved to greet his friend as Arvin Sloane as he entered the office. He was headed towards the bathroom but Jack didn't notice.

"Hi Arvin I was just... What's that on your pants?" He asked as he motioned down to the rather creamy and strawberry smelling stain.

"Sydney dropped her yoghurt all over the car this morning on the way to school. God that girl is inquisitive. She certainly takes after you."

"You took Sydney to school?"

"Yes. Emily called your house this morning and Sydney told her that Laura was in quite a state. Apparently she had been sobbing for hours and Sydney was pretty worried. Emily went round and I took Sydney.... Jack... I could hear her sobs from the porch. What happened?"

"We..." He contemplated telling his friend the truth but decided against it. "We just argued like every couple does. It turns out she was keeping something from me and now I know, I kind of wish I didn't."

"What was she keeping from you?" Jack had no idea what to say but thankfully he was interrupted by Sloan's cell ringing. He moved away to answer it and returned much quicker.

"Jack that was Emily. She was with Laura and she collapsed. The ambulance was loading her into the back as she phoned. Jack... they couldn't revive her on the scene so they rushed her to Mercy."

All of the colour drained from Jack's face as he realised that his wife was hurt and he was out of the door before Arvin could finish his sentence. Sloane went to tell Director Vaughn what had happened.  
  
{A/N – I hope you liked that chapter. It felt so weird with Sloane being good!! I don't know weather to write the affair into it or not but I do know that Rambaldi will be in it but I don't know how...? I mean come on, how could he not be involved?!! Please review with suggestions or comments so I know that my readers are still there!!!}


	4. Rambaldi!

{A/N – Hey there!! I'm enjoying writing this fic now so please let me know if your enjoying reading it!! After the capital letters and threats... I've decided to leave out the affair but Bill Vaughn may not be as safe as you think...!}  
  
Jack raced down the stairs of the plain CIA issue hospital and searched for Laura's room. All relations of CIA officers were bought here when anything happened to them not just when CIA cases injured them, but just in case the police or doctors needed to contact the relatives and found out that the bank they worked for didn't exist.  
  
When he finally found it he entered just as she was replacing her robe and Jack quickly turned away.  
  
"I... er... I'm sorry."  
  
"Its ok Jack. You saw me naked just last night."  
  
"Yes but things were different then..." He paused but she didn't reply sensing he had more to say. He did. "Last night I thought you were my wife."  
  
Irina knew that this was coming. She had seen the conflict in his eyes when he entered the room.  
  
"I'm still your wife Jack. Its just that you know more about me now."  
  
"I know too much."  
  
"Not in my eyes."  
  
"Yes but in the ... "Jack thought of the possible bugs "In the man you've been having an affair with's eyes I do. What are you going to do when he realises that your still here. Weren't you supposed to leave me for him?"  
  
"I'm pretty sure that he knows by now that I'm not on the flight that I was supposed to have caught last night. Besides, I have an excuse. I'm in hospital. I doubt I could ever have left you in the end Jack. I'd rather die. Besides its not like I slept with him or anything." She replied catching on to the code. She wasn't entirely happy with the CIA thinking that she'd had an affair but she had to stick to it now.  
  
Jack tried to decode the part about her not sleeping with him but then he realised that that was for the attention of the bugs to make her seem better. It was then that he realised that she was sitting there on a hospital bed and he hadn't asked her why.  
  
It was the one question that jack had been dying to ask her while holding her in his arms since he arrived at the hospital, hell since he heard that she was there.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" He silently wished he could ask if she was feeling ok but decided that it showed too much emotion. The one thing that had made him an easy target in the first place.  
  
"I'm not sure. The doctor wanted to do more tests and he said he'd wait until you got here before talking to me. Why would he need your permission?" The fear was evident in her expression. "Do you think its serious?"  
  
All of Jack's inhibitions fell as he saw how afraid his wife was and he rushed to her side.  
  
"Oh Laura... Everything's going to be fine. I bet it was just exhaustion. From what Arvin told me, you were pretty upset. Your body probably wasn't used to it and the reason they need to do more tests is because they cant find anything wrong."  
  
She nestled her head against his chest and closed her eyes as her tears stained his shirt. It was the second time she had allowed herself to cry in his presence since they were married. The first had been many years ago. She was pregnant. She had awoken to severe pain in her stomach and the sheets were soaked with blood. Jack was on a mission and she was all alone. Her hands shook as she dialled for the ambulance and passed out.  
  
When he had arrived home a few days later, she had broken down and collapsed into his arms. She was still clutching the small blue babygrow he bought her when they found out that Sydney was going to have a little brother. The complications had lead to further problems and she was no longer able to conceive so Sydney had become the sole heir to the Bristow life. Irina had sworn that if she couldn't have a sibling to be there for her then she would have a doting family and a wide branch of fake family in the form of friends and Neighbours.  
  
Jack remembered that time as he held her now. He had wished that he could have been there for her when it happened but once again his job at the CIA had caused problems in his home life.  
  
"Mr. And Mrs. Bristow?" They looked up to see the doctor standing in the doorway with a small folder in his hands.  
  
"Yes?" Jack asked as Irina wiped her face and pulled her dressing gown closed.  
  
"Mr. Bristow, could I have a word with you outside please?"  
  
"Of course." He turned back towards Irina. "I'll just be outside ok?"  
  
She nodded and Jack left the room with the doctor.  
  
"What's this all about? Why wont you tell my wife anything?"  
  
"As you know, she's a civilian and any top secret information cannot be discussed around her."  
  
"Yes but what's top secret about her being exhausted?"  
  
"Have you heard of an ancient philosopher called Milo Rambaldi?"  
  
"Of course I have. We only have a little information on him but he's proving to be quite a revelation. If you need information on him. Agent Sloane can tell you more than me. He's somewhat an expert on the matter..."  
  
"Its Rambaldi that we found linked to her illness." The doctor interrupted  
  
"Illness? What illness?"  
  
"Your wife has contracted a very serious virus that effects her bone tissue and effectively eats away at it until she finally lapses from what seems to be a certain form of cancer. Any normal hospital would have simply diagnosed her with this and prescribed chemotherapy but we know better and any form of chemical therapy would only feed the virus and shorten the infection period."  
  
"How did she contract this virus?"  
  
"It seems that it was in her DNA which means that your daughter could also be a carrier. We've sent someone to collect her from school and bring her straight here."  
  
"How are you going to treat them?"  
  
"There's no form of antidote as yet."  
  
"So you mean to tell me that you have no idea of how to treat my wife and possibly my daughter and the only thing you can think of will only kill them faster?"  
  
"Well there is one other option."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sending you on a mission to find out how the virus was formed and released. If we gather enough information, we can begin work on an antidote but until then we have nowhere to even start."  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
And with that he was out of the door and on the way to the CIA.

{A/N - Well i think thats a good enough place to leave it...! and i was only half serious about the whole Bill death thing!! I might even add some lil Vaughn and lil Syd stuff in. what do you think?}


	5. The warning

{A/N - wow!!! i'm lovin the reviews people... please keep it up and continue to assist with advice and opinions!!}

As jack entered the rotunda, several agents ran up to him and enquired as to the health of his wife. They had all met her at various functions and warmed to her immediately. It had been part of her mission for everyone close to Jack to like her. He ignored them all and made his way to the Directors office.  
  
As he entered, William Vaughn looked up and immediately pressed a button underneath his desk to shut the door and seal the room from all noise escaping. "Bill, have you heard anything about her loyalty?" He asked careful not to expose the identity as to whom they were discussing. He knew that enemy agents could easily tap in to the CIA's systems. After all they had tapped into his life.  
  
"Yes. I had a word with my contact this morning. Apparently there's a very large contract out on her head. She was to be extracted, tortured and executed for treason the day before you came to me. Now the KGB just want her dead. They discovered that she was giving them false information and a transcript sent to your house shows how they threatened you and Sydney's lives. She was forced to leave you. After which, they would take her to their own version of Camp Harris."  
  
The immediate relief was evident on jacks face and in his posture as he leant against the desk.  
  
"How did you find all of this out?"  
  
"I'm the Director of the CIA Jack. I didn't get this far with out my connections. He was one of the best."  
  
"Was?"  
  
"He was snipered on the way out of the warehouse. I managed to slip out. Whoever it was probably thought that his meet hadn't happened yet. They certainly didn't want the information getting out. He said that it was extremely hard to come by and he wouldn't have been able to get it if he hadn't been owed a favour by someone inside."  
  
"Thank-you. I don't know what I would have done without your help Bill. Your wife and son are very lucky to have you." He suddenly stood up straight and walked over to the window. "My daughter might be ill now as well..."  
  
"Its ok Jack. I know. Anything to do with Rambaldi is forwarded to me straight away. So how's Laura taking the news?"  
  
"I didn't tell her. I came here to find out about my mission."  
  
"Ok then. You and Arvin are going to infiltrate a KGB oriented control lab. You'll pose as analysts wanting to form alliances with the lab technicians there. When you're in, you'll find some way to down load their research database and bring it back here. They have been working on this virus for almost two years and they may even have an antidote."  
  
"If they may have one, why are they still working on it?"  
  
"They're into the whole illness aspect more than they're into curing it... they plan to make it into a weapon."  
  
"A weapon? Then why haven't we tried to stop them before?"  
  
"The CIA saw no reason to when they could just wait until they had a complete weapon then we could steal it."  
  
"How would we know?"  
  
"We have a man inside."  
  
"Why cant we use him now?"  
  
"They weighed up the potions... loosing nearly two years worth of work... or..."  
  
"One insignificant woman." Jack finished, sighing. "Well I guess I know what I'm going to do." With that he left for the hospital to ask his wife if there was anything she knew about this so called prophesiser.  
  
He knocked gently on the door to see if she was awake.  
  
"Come in."  
  
"Laura?"  
  
"Oh Jack. Where have you been? The doctors haven't told me anything. They say that it was classified. How can me being in here be classified?" She looked paler than when he had last seen her but the doctors said that she would begin to deteriorate over the next few days. There were bags under her eyes and she had a small bruise on her left cheek that he hadn't noticed before.  
  
"Its ok. I'll explain everything in a while. Where did you get that bruise?"  
  
"When I fell. Now tell me what's going on."  
  
Jack mouthed the word 'Rambaldi' to her and she was quiet so as to hear the rest of the conversation and possibly decode it.  
  
"You have contracted a rare bone marrow disorder and the doctors are working on a way to cure you but I have to go away on a business trip while they try to do it." This was getting them no-where.  
  
"Jack, pass me my purse." He did so and she pulled a small hair clip from the side pocket. She flipped a small switch on the side and waited. It gave a long beep and she continued. "It's a transmission cutter. We have three minutes." Jack looked at her. "I used to use it when I wanted us to be alone. When we first got married, there were bugs all over the house... it was only later on when Sydney was born and they disliked the crying that they limited them to the study and phones."  
  
"Oh." He was stunned at her ability to deceive yet carried on. "Ok then. Do you know who Rambaldi is?"  
  
"Of course I do! Who doesn't?"  
  
"Well... he has some sort of link to your illness. The scientists working on your blood found tracers of his DNA within the compartments of the virus. I have to go out to a KGB facility in Russia somewhere and steel files containing research on it. I'll be gone for a few days at most."  
  
"Jack we have thirty seconds but I have a warning for you. Watch out for Arvin. When it comes to Rambaldi, he's not what he seems."  
  
Jack was intrigued and somewhat worried by this revelation but as the last beep sounded he realised to his dismay that he could not ask more.  
  
"Ok then honey." She said as she saw the questioning look in his eyes. She simply shrugged and lay back as she was feeling more tired than usual.  
  
Jack walked over to the bed and kissed Irina softly on the forehead while stroking her hair back out of her face. He left the room and headed for the airport.  
  
{A/N – I know that this one was boring but it was necessary for the plot to be able to thicken so there!!! Thank-you for the reviews and comments, I live for them and squeal with joy every time I get a new one so please... make me squeal!!!}


	6. The mission

{A/N – hey there folks. Thanks for the reviews! I've just seen the season three finale and I'm having alias withdrawal symptoms now!! Bring on season four even though its going to be two episodes shorter which is so unfair :-( }

Jack arrived at the airport and entered. He spotted Arvin sitting waiting for him. He stood and walked over to him. Jack made a mental note to be careful around Arvin and heed his wife's warning.

"Jack... how are you?"

"I'm fine.... Arvin, how much do you know about Rambaldi?"

The question came as a shock to Arvin as he thought Jack had no idea of his obsession with the ancient philosopher.

"About as much as you know." He said as he thought of the implications with Laura's illness that could be made. "Why?"

"I was just wandering. You seem to be more interested in the information we could find rather than the antidote. I cant help wonder how different your feelings would be if it were Emily in that bed and not Laura."

"Jack you know how much I care for Laura and you. Your like family to Emily and I and Sydney's always felt like a daughter to me."

For some reason Jack cringed at the idea of Sydney being anything to do with his best friend who was becoming less like a patriot and more like a suspect with every case they worked on.

"Lets just get on the plane." Jack said as he walked over to the terminal. The bleeper went off and Jack mentally scolded himself for forgetting to use his op-techs. Any unnecessary attention could cost him this mission and in turn his wife's life. Jack emptied his pockets and looked over to Arvin as he walked back through the arch. Arvin's hand stealthily slipped into his pocket and pressed the button on his near identical key-ring to jacks which was lying on the table in a dish. The beeper didn't go off and Jack was handed his things. He returned the favour as the guards looked suspiciously at his partner who innocently took his hands out of his pockets and they got on to the plane.

"What happened there Jack?" Sloane said as he and Jack sat down as they got on the plane.

"I was just thinking of Laura and everything that's gone on in the last few days. Its just getting to me I guess. I'm sorry."

"Well it had better stay off your mind when the mission starts Jack. My life's in your hands." He replied as he looked out of the window.

As they sat there and prepared themselves for the impending mission, Jack thought of all that he had learned in the last few days and all that his wife had told him. He wondered what would have become of Sydney had Irina left or worse, taken her with her back to Russia. He pushed those thoughts out of his head as the seatbelt sign appeared and fastened the material across his waist.

The mission was beginning to worry Irina. She had been sitting in the hospital bed for hours since she awoke. She sighed as she rubbed her wedding ring and remembered the times when she and Jack had been happy. They had made countless memories and she intended for there to be many more. Suddenly she heard shouts from the hall.

"I WANT MY MOMMY!" Sydney kicked and screamed as two CIA issue doctors attempted to restrain her. Upon hearing her daughter, Irina got out of bed and headed for the door.

"Mommy!" Sydney shrugged off the grip of the second man and ran into her mothers arms. She buried her head into Irina's hair and began to cry. "I was so scared mommy. I know daddy says that I should never be scared because he'll always be there for me if I'm in trouble but I shouted for him and you but no-one came. The nasty man tried to stick a needle in me. He said it wouldn't hurt but it would mommy. It's a needle."

Irina wasn't surprised at the innocent intuitiveness of her daughter. After all she _was_ part Bristow, part Derevko. The Bristow in her made it bad enough but the Derevko blood only fuelled her destiny to one day become something great. Irina hoped it would be for the good but she knew what an asset Sydney would be if she was taught by the wrong hands.

"Its ok honey. I'm here now and daddy will be back soon." The last thing she saw was Sydney's worried face as the corridor blackened and the floor travelled increasingly closer to her face or was it her face that travelled increasingly closer to the floor?

"Get her onto the gurney now." A burly doctor shouted as he felt for Irina's pulse. "Her pulse is very weak but she's strong. This woman's a fighter." Sydney watched in horror as her mothers limp body was pulled up onto the bed with wheels and she was taken away.

Jack and Arvin ran along the dusty road as they were shot at by several guards. They had been sneaking into the main building and they were caught by KGB employees changing shift. They had ran around the back along the dirt road and now they were on their way into the building. As they entered they used the fake I.D.s given to them by op techs and fitted right in. After dumping their balaclava's at the entry point, the guards from outside came in and looked around.

"Hey you." Jack flinched as he turned to face the guard.

"Erm Da?" He replied.

"Did you see two men go through here with weapons?"

Jack pretended not to understand English and the guard ignored him carrying on around the corner.

Jack and Arvin proceeded to the research lab and watched as the guards swapped over. They walked right past the new guards pretending to be on their way out of the lab and right on cue Arvin slapped his head.

"Oh damn. I've forgotten my badge. Its in the lab on the table. "I'll just pop back in to fetch it."

"I'll come in with you too Henry." Jack added as the guards waved them past with a smile.

"I'm glad they didn't ask for my ID." Jack said as he removed the white coat and got out his tranq gun. "We didn't think about that."

"I know. It only occurred to me as we went through the doors." Arvin said as he handed his partner the darts he had tucked in his sock. Jack pulled off the corks and loaded them into his gun.

They looked around the lab and took in the sight. There were beds of people and soldiers with what looked like small pox but much more severe. They were groaning and sobbing. One man caught Arvin's arm and whispered to him.

"Kill e... please... end it." Arvin pulled out his gun and hit the man across the face knocking him unconscious and they walked over to the table.

"Do you think that's what Laura's got?" Jack said worriedly.

"Of course not. Jack they probably experiment with lots of different biological weapons here. This is what the KGB would do to us if we let them. Good thing we've got some one inside eh Jack?"

"Yeah. I'll look over here and you look on the computer system to see if they have any information on an antidote." Jack said trying to get the images of Sydney and Laura with the symptoms he had seen in the previous room. He walked over to a cabinet. It was loked and so Jack pulled out a small lock pick. In a few minutes the first lock was opened. It was then he discovered that the digital lock panel was the one that was locked by key and that was all he had opened.

He pulled out a small white tube and poured the liquid onto the panel. Sparks flickered into his face and the door swung open. Jack peered into the cabinet and saw lots of tiny named bottles and among them was a vile with the name 'Derevko' on it. He knew it was Laura's real name but how was he going to get the CIA to analyse it without telling them how he knew it would be to do with his wife? He decided to worry about that later and ripped the label off pocketing the bottle. With the small clue as to his wife's illness in his possession, Jack walked over to his partner and friend and glanced at the screen.

"Found anything?"

"No. I found the list of antidotes but it looks like it depends on the person. Without a small amount of their uninfected tissue, we cant find it."

"Uninfected?"

"Yes. It's a failsafe the KGB put in. They took some skin from the people that that they knew were carrying the dormant disease before it awakened in its victims. This way, the people they infected or who were naturally infected would have no idea how to get a cure and if any of their own got infected, the KGB would have some of that person's tissue to create a cure. They haven't got Laura's tissue. There's no need for them to. She must be naturally infected. Looks like we have no way to cure her. I'm sorry Jack."

"If we had some of her skin, how would we create a cure?"

"Jack, we don't have any of her..."

"...ARVIN. Don't question me. What would we do?"

"There's a chamber at the bottom of the adjacent corridor and it has the liquid in it that you add to the tissue to create a cure. Jack, what's going on?"

"Laura had some of her eggs frozen just in case she couldn't conceive later on in life when she was a teenager. I'd say that was when she was uninfected. We can take the liquid with us and the hospital can do the mixing." Jack lied clutching the vial in his pocket.

"Jack that's brilliant! Lets go." They headed off down the corridor as Jack hoped his wife was hanging in ok and that his daughter wasn't a carrier.

'They should know by now' He thought as the guards ran towards the broken door to the second lab. Jack and Arvin were of course far, far away from the room holding the case full of liquid that they would need to cure Laura.

Sydney sat on Irina's bed and watched as doctors came in and out of her mothers room. Each checking something different as they looked down at the little girl and sighed. They knew that she would soon be as sick as her mother and unless her father came back with a cure, they would both be dead by the end of the week.

{A/N - oh noooo!!! review please and you'll have more!!}


	7. Old photos and memories

A/N – Hey folks! Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you all like it. As always, please read and review. I hope you haven't given up on me!

Jack arrived back at the hospital and ran down the corridor. He knew that if he was too long, he may be too late. He saw the room board and searched for the name Bristow. He followed along the line to reveal the room number and headed for it. He waited for the doors to open and ran through. The doctors greeted him and stopped him as he nearly bumped into them.

"Mr. Bristow."

"Doctor. Where is my wife? I have the cure. Its right here. You have to do some kind of mixing but it should work. I..." He was cut off by the older man.

"I'm sorry to tell you but your wife's condition decreased much faster than we first expected. She's no longer in this ward. She's been moved to a private intensive care unit upstairs."

"But the sign said that she was..." He looked up at the door and realised. The file hung in the silver case said 'Sydney Bristow'. "No... how bad is she?"

"She's getting worse by the day. Soon she'll be at the same stage as your wife."

"But how?"

"Your wife's a fighter Mr. Bristow. Logically she should be dead by now but she's strong. Stronger than we expected. This may help her but it's a slim chance. He held up the bottle as he passed it to a young technician. "We have none of your daughters DNA either so we have no idea where to start in treating her."

"Just do what you can." Jack said as he entered his daughter's room.

"Daddy?"

"Hey honey." He said to his daughter as she looked up. She was surrounded by tubes and machines monitoring her vital signs.

"Daddy I'm scared. Mommy fell down and the doctors were shouting. I saw her yesterday but they won't let me see her today. I feel bad and my arm hurts." She motioned to the drip protruding from her vein.

"It's ok Sydney. I'm going to check on mommy and see if she's ok. I'll ask the doctors if you can see her. You rest up and get better for her and you'll both be out of here soon."

"Do you promise?"

Jack looked down at the smaller version of his wife and smiled. He kissed her forehead and left the room.

"I hope." He whispered as he shut the door.

Jack headed up to the ward that he was told his wife was residing in and looked for her name. He needn't have looked though as she was the only person on the floor. Her bed was surrounded by a clear plastic curtain and she had many more tubes and wires than Sydney. He walked over to her slowly and noticed how pale she was. She seemed thinner too and it had only been a few days.

She stirred in her sleep and Jack rushed over to hold her hand. He was stopped by a nurse and told to wear gloves which he removed once the nurse had gone. He knew that it wasn't a contagious virus. It was a hereditary one devised by someone to kill his wife and any child she had. Someone had planted something into her system at a very young age and had intended to stop her and anyone in her genetic line.

Jack left the room and found their Doctor.

"Mr. Bristow. What is it?"

"Can Sydney see her mother? She wants to and I think that she should."

"Laura's condition is only worsening by the hour. Soon she won't even have the hazy drifting in and out of consciousness that she has now. She'll be completely comatosed soon. Do you really want your daughter to whiteness that?"

"I think that it would help. She needs to see her mother. I want her to see her mother."

"Ok then but don't say I didn't warn you."

"Warn me?"

"If this upsets her."

"Sydney is extremely mature for her age and she cant be sheltered from things for her whole life. IF god forbid, this is the last chance she gets to see her mother... then I'm going to give it to her."

Sydney sat up as her father pushed a wheelchair into her room and eased her into it.

"Where are we going?"

"To see mommy."

Her small face lit up and she sat silently as they rode in the elevator to her mothers ward. They entered the room as Irina was awaking.

"Jack... SYDNEY! Oh my baby what's that in your arm." She pointed "Oh no please don't tell me you're ill too."

"Shhh honey. Don't get too excited." Jack replied as she fell back onto the pillows dizzily.

"Mommy are you ok?"

"Yes honey mommy's fine. I'm a lot better now you're here." Irina moved the plastic curtain away so that she could see her family better.

"I don't think you're supposed to move that mommy." She turned to Jack. "Is she daddy?"

"No she's not." Jack frowned as he re-closed the curtain. "I think we should get going now. I'll come back when she's asleep." His wife smiled and waved goodbye to her daughter. When he returned, Irina was sound asleep.

Jack left the hospital after several more hours at his wife's side. He had begun to drift off and the nurses had thrown him out promising to call him at the slightest change. They were planning to inject her with the antidote in the morning and reveal any progress that they had made on curing Sydney.

He arrived home and entered the living room. The place seemed so empty without his family around. He walked over to the fireplace and looked at the wedding photograph that was perched on the edge. He sighed as he looked down at the happy face of his wife. He knew that it must have been a lie then but he still hoped that some of it had been real. He wondered when it was that she had first said 'I love you' and meant it. He placed the photo back where it had been and picked up another. This one was of the whole family. Sydney was about two and they were at the carousel. She had just finished riding and her grin was the biggest he had ever seen. They all looked so happy. Jack sank down to the floor as the pale moonlight cascaded across his face. A tear slid down his cheek and more followed. He sobbed for all he was worth late into the night. Before long, exhaustion took over and he slumped down against the couch.

The next morning, jack awoke to the sound of his wife's alarm. It was still going off every day like clockwork he mused. His neck was stiff but he had endured worse pain .He ran upstairs and turned it off. He then took a quick shower and headed out to the hospital. When he arrived, it was much like the day before. He popped in to see Sydney who was still sleeping before going up to see his wife. She looked paler still and her hair was mussed as if she had been tossing and turning all night. The doctor entered the room and smiled down at Jack.

"You should be wearing gloves you know."

"I know it's the rule but there's no point. It's in her DNA not her breath."

"We have the vile ready. We can administer it as soon as you sign this form."

"What's it for?"

"Well the drugs we're going to give her are unconventional. There not exactly antibiotics. They're liquids developed by a dead prophet to a disease we can't even master let alone find a cure for."

Jack scanned the sheet "So It's basically to say that if she dies then I won't blame you?"

"Well... it's the CIA, they..."

He was cut off by Jack. "Here. I've signed it. I'll do anything to ensure her safety. Now what about Sydney? Do I need to sign one for her?"

"We haven't exactly found anything to help her yet. Were hoping that the antibodies that form in your wife's system will help. Or at least give us some clue as how to heal her."

"So what are you saying?"

"We're no closer to helping her than we are to curing world hunger."

Jack wanted to punch the man standing in front of him for his bluntness and torture him until he apologised. He refrained since the doctor was his wife and daughters only hope.

He walked over to Irina and stroked her head as the doctor injected pale blue liquid into her vein. Jack knew that all he could do now was hope... hope and prey.


	8. Where hoping and praying gets you

A/N – I know its been ages since my last update but I don't seem to be getting many reviews as the story continues so I thought that there weren't any followers who were _that_ interested. I'll keep updating as long as I get even one review per chapter but the more reviews, the more frequent the updates and the longer that chapters!

The next few days were a blur for Jack. His mind kept playing the scene over and over in his head. He continued to whiteness the blue liquid entering Laura's vein and her face regaining colour but after that, nothing. She had stayed the same.

Each day was blending into the next and his wife's condition wasn't changing. He had known that the vile was only a chance but he was Jack Bristow. Chance was his life. At least her condition hadn't worsened unlike Sydney's. She hadn't been conscious for days now and on the rare occasion when she did awake, she only babbled incomprehensively for a few minutes before surrendering once again to the tormented sleep that so often engulfed her for long periods of time.

As Jack stared at his wife, he thought of all the things he had yet to ask her. There was so much he didn't know and so much he wanted to find out. The things he thought he knew were now nothing to him. _What if her favourite colour wasn't really blue? What if she didn't actually like the opera and had only endured it for the mission's sake to keep him happy? Had Sydney been an accident like he had believed or was her conception planned? _Questions swirled around his brain as exhaustion once again took over and he collapsed onto the bed beside his wife.

The next morning he was woken by the soft voice of the Doctor. She was asking him something but he couldn't quite work out the words.

Something about cake?

"Mr. Bristow, are you ok?" Jack looked up as the light flooded his senses into bedazzlement.

"Ok? Oh ok. Yes I'm fine... what's going on?"

"It's Sydney. She's not doing so well. She failed to respond to her usual medication last night and we're running out of options to keep her stable. I thought you might like to see her before we keep her permanently under a solution of tranquilliser used to hold down patients with a severe form of schizophrenia."

"Schizophrenia?"

"Yes it's the only thing strong enough that won't kill her."

The fear in Jacks eyes was enough to convince the doctor that he needed to be a little less callus and explain things more clearly to the extremely concerned father.

"What I mean is..."

Jack cut him off. "I know what you mean Doctor. I understand that her condition is worsening and we need to do something to help save her."

"Like what?"

"Like find out what has stabilised my wife's condition and try to adapt it to my daughter's condition to help save her."

"Agent Bristow, we have been trying to do that for the last few days and with no success, we're running out of ideas."

Jack's expression turned to grim as he followed the doctor out of the room to the lift and travelled to Sydney's room. She looked worse than ever and was thrashing around on the bed. Her voice could be heard from the lift and as Jack ran to comfort her, he saw little recognition in her eyes. She seemed to look right through him and her eyes were glazed over.

"Sydney?"

There was no response as heart wrenching wails continued to fly from her lips.

"Sydney, please." Jack was both physically and mentally exhausted and he was close to giving up on life.

Suddenly, Sydney ceased her screaming and looked at Jack.

"Daddy?"

The Doctors and nurses gasped. She had barely managed a comprehensive syllable let alone a whole word that actually made sense in context too.

"I'm here honey." Jack rushed to her side and held on to her. She only held on to consciousness for a few minutes but each second had been precious to jack.

The doctor looked at him as he lay his daughters head onto the pillow. "Mr. Bristow, that was amazing. I can't believe she reacted to you. She's even starting to respond to the medication that we were about to give up on."

"You mean she's getting better?" Jack said as he hoped he was correct.

"Well slightly. I'm not saying that she's going to recover completely but the reaction to familiarity certainly seemed to bring her out of the rambling stage. Perhaps if more people she knows come to see her or you could bring some of her toys with you and leave them by her bed. We never thought that the disease could be linked to the psyche but it would make a lot of sense considering Rambaldi's obsession with how the mind works."

Jack looked at his sleeping daughter and smiled. For the first time in days he felt useful. He only hoped that this new discovery could help his wife.

A/N – That's all I'm afraid. I do however have another chapter up my sleeve with some resolution and a surprise in store for the CIA!!


	9. At last!

A/N – hey folks I'm back after so long and with fresh ideas too! I hope you can take the time to read and review to make me update sooner this time! Bribery goooooood! Here we go…

Laura had been awake for some time now and sat patiently waiting for someone to come in. She could hear people outside her room and wondered what they could all be doing in such a hurry. The call of nature proved too much and eventually, she tried to get up. It was easier than she had thought and apart from her joints being a little stiff, she was fine.

Jack sat talking to Sydney as she regained her bearings. There was so much that she wanted to know and Jack hadn't been ready for the amount of questions his little girl seemed to have. Not surprisingly, most of them were about her mother. Jack left Sydney in an attempt to gain the courage to see Laura. He had been avoiding her room lately as the disappointment of her lacking any change was too much for him when he had to be strong for Sydney's sake.

As he approached the door, he heard some shuffling around and drew his gun.

_It's the KGB, they've come to take her from me. _He thought, alarmedas he kicked the door open.

Jack Bristow was shocked he couldn't understand it. His wife was standing there scared out of her wits but more importantly, she was standing there.

"Jack Bristow please refrain from shooting meelse the whole point of my recovery might as well be thrown out of the window." She smirked as he replaced his gun in the holster he had taken it from just moments earlier.

Suddenly three armed agents came running into the room at full speed.

"Stand down. Everything's ok." They all looked at the woman standing in her pyjamas with a fake look of shock on her face. Irina was as cool as a cucumber and nothing seemed to scare her. Except maybe the thought of loosing her husband and daughter.

One of the men spoke at last. "I…erm… we're security. We heard a bang. What happened here sir?"

"I fell against the door from outside." Jack replied obviously mocking them.

"Ok." And they left oblivious to the scene they had just caused.

"Laura." Jack could hardly speak. She walked over to him and reached behind to shut the door.

"I woke up a few hours ago. No-one came by to check on me and I needed to use the bathroom. So I did."

"I cant believe this. First Sydney wakes up and now you." He said lifting her into his arms, breathing in the returning sent of laura.

"What do you mean 'Sydney wakes up'?" Came the distressed reply.

"Sydney went into a coma as you did but she just woke up and started to get better a few days ago. It was amazing. She had no treatment yet seemed to be improving."

"You mean she's going to be ok as well?"

"Yes." Jack smoothed her hair down as he had yet to release her from his loving grasp.

"But how? I had the antidote didn't I? How did Sydney get better without the antidote?"

"Well the doctors told me that she had been predisposed to the virus at some time in her life. I'm guessing its because she's your daughter and you had it in your system all along. They said she had built up an immunity to it and wasin a deep state of unconsciousness while fighting it off. I bought her around by simply acting as a familiar object to drag her back. Be her anchor if you like."

Irina couldn't believe she was still alive. She had been ready to give up on life. she had said goodbye to her family and was readyfor whatever came next. never had she expected to be where she was, back in his arms. her most favourite place in the world to be.

"You never gave up on us did you?" she nuzzled his neck.

"No. I've realised in these past weeks that you and Sydney are all that really matter to me and I love you both unconditionally." Jack said as he sat on the bed lettinghis wife sneak under the covers.She was getting tired and had begun to drift off as he was speaking. "I want to try and forget about what happened and perhaps…"

He was interrupted by the soft sound of his wife dozing lightly beside him.

That night, Jack realised just how close he had come to loosing the woman he loved and just how close they had come to loosing their daughter. He sat in the leather chair in his office at home and for the first time in months, he had what could be considered as a good nights sleep – even if he was slumped over his desk.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Irina told Jack more and more about who she really was. He listened carefully and she helped the CIA to bring down several Russian agents trying to steel information and weapons.

She had been told by her handler that if she left now, her family would be suspicious and perhaps even come looking for her. They wanted her to have a clean break when she finally left the 'American pig' she was married to.

One afternoon, Jack and Sydney were playing at the parkwhile Laura sat on the picnic blanket when a young man approached her. she looked up and he smiled at her.

"Afternoon m'am."

"Hello." She replied absentmindedly.

"That your family?" He asked.

"Yup." She replied. "My husband and daughter."

"They're a good looking lot. That your dog too?" He motioned towards the small animal chasing the ball Jack had thrown.

"Yeah. He was a gift from my daughters godfather. I didn't want it but you know how kids are when it comes to puppies in bows." She smiled. That day seemed so long ago to her now after everything she had gone through.

The man chuckled. "The wife and I were persuaded into a kitten not so long back. I've regretted the day I said yes ever since but It'd break their hearts if we took it away."

"I know what you mean." Irina suddenly realised she was talking to a complete stranger. "I dont mean to be rude, butwho are you?" She queried mentally scolding herself for not asking sooner.

"I expect you'll miss them very much." He smirked.

"What?" Irina was now alarmed but when she turned around, the man was gone.

She stood up and looked around running to the gates of the park but didn't find him. If she was honest, she didn't even know what he looked like. She had been off her guard these past few weeks and hadn't even thought about looking out for the KGB watching her. she didn't want it to seem like she was enjoying the open-ness of her and Jack's relationship too much or they might see the change in their behaviour.

Jack, who was just catching up with her looked worried.

"Laura?" He shouted. "Laura?" This time he was louder and she turned around. "Hey hun, what's wrong? You look spooked. Is everything ok?"

"Yes I'm fine Sweetie. I just…" _They could be listening._ "… I just thought I saw someone I knew. That's all. It turned out it was a complete stranger who looked at me as though I was insane when I started asking them what they thought they were doing ignoring me." She laughed it off.

Jack wasn't convinced but knew she wouldn't keep something from him now unless it was necessary.

That evening, Irina was giving Sydney a bath when the phone rang. She heard Jack answer and thought nothing of it. A few minutes later, he entered the room with a grim look on his face.

She went to ask him what was wrong when he thrust the phone into her hand. "It's a woman named Katherine Grey-Bell for you. She says its important."

"Ok then." She realised the initials as soon as he said them. "Hey Kathy, what's up?"

"Irina, we have reason to believe there is a mole on your side of things telling the CIA information about our operations. You are to find out who it is within the week and report back to us when you leave your husband for another man. We trust you have been arguing with himrecently?"

"Erm yes of course I have, but I don't know if I can come out that night. Its just that Jack and I have been talking about taking a few weeks away and I may not be able to go out until I come back."

"We expect you to start the plans and you will be contacted soon about the details." The line went dead.

"Ok then bye kath." She smiled and handed the phone back to Jack. "That was Kathy from work. She wanted to know if I fancy a girls night out but I said I'd give it a miss."

"When is it?" He asked knowing what they wanted her to do.

"Oh, in about a week or so." She replied and went to Sydney's room with her to dry her off. Once she was in her pyjamas and sleeping, Jack and Irina took a walk in the garden. Jack produced a small pen and pulled off the lid.

"How long do we have?" She asked.

"About a minute." Came the reply.

She quickly filled him in on the happenings at the park and then the phone call.

"What can we do Jack? I don't want to loose you buy like they said before. They'll kill you and Sydney if I don't comply with their orders and they've become tighter on their instructions lately. They used to let me choose extraction details but now I do as they say or I'm through."

After a few second of silence, the pen beeped its last few seconds and Jack added. "I have an idea. You'll just have to trust me but I think it'll work... no, I'm sure it will." And with that, the garden became quiet and they entered the house once again faking an argument for the ears in the walls.

A/N – sorry its been so long and I hope you haven't given up on me. I think the next few chapters will be the end really as the story's been going on far too long for my sanity and your patience so you'll soon be put out of your misery!


	10. The plan

AN- Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you, for all of your reviews people. I'm such a terrible author for not updating sooner but I have been working on two new fics that I have promised myself I won't upload until they are finished so as not to let people down. In my defence, I have been waiting for a Jack/Irina fic to update for almost a year now so you should count yourselves lucky it hasn't been longer! Also, I noticed a few missed spaces in the last update and I'll go back at the end and fix it all so don't be frustrated!

Jack sat at his desk thinking about the plan he had formed over the last few days. He had come up with the idea of faking his family's death and then leaving the country. They could do it within the week and she would be ok. The CIA had to think that they were dead and so would the KGB. Then, no-one would come looking for them. They would be ok. The only thing was how?

"Jack? I asked you how Irina was doing." Arvin Sloane interrupted his line of thought. Not that it was going anywhere.

"Oh, sorry Arvin. I was miles away. I was thinking about how much I'd like to get away. You know, just leave for a while to spend some time with the girls." He sighed.

"I know how you feel. Emily has been away for a few days visiting her family and I've missed her so much, I could hardly leave her this morning." The agent smiled to himself.

"Enough of this moping." Jack laughed. (For the first time in weeks, Arvin noted) "What was it that you wanted?" He asked, getting back to business.

"I have a message from Director Vaughn. He wants to see you in his office as soon as possible." Sloane patted his friend on the back and left.

Jack smiled at Rita, the secretary and walked down the corridor into the director's office. Bill motioned for him to sit and shut the door.

"Jack, I read your letter and I really have no idea what to do. I don't want to loose you as an agent but I fear I already have. No matter which way we look at it, you're destined to leave. If Laura leaves, you'll go with her and if we take her in, you'll leave out of anger. I just don't know how to act. I have a son to think about before I go and give you a means to get a member of the KGB of the hook entirely. If anyone found out…"

"I know Bill. I know. I've been running scenarios since we left the hospital." Jack rubbed his forehead as he felt a migraine on its way.

"The only conclusion I can come up with is that of you and her leaving for a holiday and never coming back. If you do that then maybe you can outrun the KGB and I can get the CIA to drop the case." He sighed.

"I don't know. What if they won't drop it, what if I become a wanted criminal?" Jack thought about the life that Sydney would be looking forward to if that happened.

"I'll just have to make sure that they do, Jack. It's the only option." Bill gazed down at the photograph of Michael on his desk. He was playing hockey with his friends and looked so happy. He sympathised with Jack and the decision he was about to make.

"Can I at least discuss it with Laura first?" Jack asked, hopefully.

"Yes of course."

That evening, Jack pulled up outside his house and noticed that something was wrong. There was a dark blue car parked across the street that he knew didn't belong to any of the neighbours and the lounge blinds were drawn. It all seemed wrong to him. Sydney was usually in his arms by now. Not even her recovery had been able to stop her from running to meet him every night.

He walked around to the back of the house and peered in through the window. Sydney was crying on the floor and Laura was trying to calm her down while a strange man shouted at them both. Jack couldn't hear what was going on as there were no open windows. Suddenly the man drew a gun and aimed it at his family. Laura was quick as she jumped up and twisted his arm behind his back.

At that moment, Jack smashed through the patio window and charged into the kitchen, gun drawn.

"What the hell are you doing in my home?" He shouted to the man. Sydney looked from person to person and ran for the cupboard under the stairs. The man looked at Jack in shock and twisted free from Irina, pulling a knife from his sock.

"We'll have to get rid of him now Irina. There's no going back from here. I'll kill him and you can take care of the girl." The man yelled as he lunged at Jack. Jack fired three shots into his chest wondering how he thought he was going to escape a gun aimed at his chest.

Irina seemed to read his thoughts. "I told them that the CIA makes their agents unload their guns when they leave so as not to cause any accidental harm to anyone."

Jack put the gun back in its holster and dragged the man from the kitchen before he began to bleed everywhere. Meanwhile, upon Jack's instruction, Irina went to the place that Sydney was hiding in. She slowly pulled open the door only to be hit in the head with a can of shoe polish. When she had recovered, Sydney saw that it was her mother and scrambled out hugging her.

Jack returned some time later to find his wife and daughter huddled on the floor crying. Irina looked up and raised her eyebrows.

"I'm going out for a dive. You load up the car with the essentials only. We need as much food and water as we have." He bent down to Sydney. "We're going on vacation honey. To try and forget about the bad man. Ok?" He smiled as his daughter's eyes lit up.

"Are we going to lake Diffy?" She jumped up at the thought of returning to their usual holiday destination.

"No sweetie, we're not. We're going to find somewhere new. Maybe at the beach. He smiled.

"Why don't you go upstairs and pack. Bring anything you can't live without for a few weeks, ok Sydney?" Irina smiled as her daughter nodded and ran to her room.

"Ok, what we need to do, is make everyone believe that we're dead. We have to set the house on fire and get as far away from here as possible." Jack stated as he grabbed a large bag and began loading their survival equipment into it.

"But when they fail to find bodies, both agencies will know what we've done." Irina shook her head and began to help Jack.

"That's what I'm going to take care of. We have some of Sydney's baby teeth in a jar that the 'tooth fairy' took so we can leave those amongst her bedroom. We have a vial of your DNA from the mission to find the antidote and I can take care of myself. All we need are some bodies to burn well beyond recognition. We'll plant the DNA on the bodies and they'll be identified as us. If the fire looks accidental, then they may not even investigate it. I need you to fetch a pair of curling tongues and we'll leave them on, next to some tissues and start the fire that way. If I leave a bottle of turpentine and a few canisters next to it, then the explosion will seem plausible but they won't be able to put the fire out for hours." Jack stopped and headed outside and Irina watched the man she loved with awe. He was doing all of this so that they could be together and for that, she knew that she would never stop loving him.

The next few hours went as a blur to Irina, she had no idea where the bodies came from, and didn't ask. They got Sydney to sleep in the car and set the fire. One last look at their home, and they drove off in the KGB Agent's car, leaving theirs in the garage.

AN- Thanks for being patient guys. Please let me know your thoughts and review!


	11. The end?

Jack pulled into the motel car park and found a space. He got out of the car and headed for the red van parked opposite.

Irina looked into the back seat at Sydney and smiled. She couldn't believe she had a daughter and a husband who loved her without question. She pulled a blanket from one of the bags and covered her daughter.

Jack approached the window and took the brown envelope from the man inside.

"Thanks Ed. I really appreciate this. Consider us even now and enjoy your life. I know that's what I'm planning."

The man inside the car nodded briefly and wound up the window. Jack headed back to the car and sat in the driver's seat. He opened the package and pulled out three passports, birth certificates and several credit cards and bonds.

Irina took them from him and smiled. "Mr and Mrs Black. I like it."

Irina turned on the radio just in time to hear the end of the news report.

'…all three of the Bristow family were killed in the tragic blaze that is reported to have been started by a pair of curling tongues left turned on…' She turned it off not wanting to alarm Sydney when she awoke.

"So, where do you want to live? I think its safe to say another country?" He leant in and kissed his wife.

"How about Greece? We could buy a small cabin on the beach. Not in the tourist-attracted places, some place private. Then we can raise Sydney in peace." She suggested.

"Greece it is." Jack started the engine and headed for the airport.

After stopping for a few hours sleep near the airport, The Bristow-Blacks walked into the airport. Irina now had long red hair and jack had blonde hair with a moustache. Sydney thought this dressing up was fun as she herself now had blonde hair to match her father. They checked in and boarded the plane to start their new lives.

Epilogue

Sydney walked into the large white building and looked around. Her long Brown hair had blonde streaks in it and her nose sported several sun kissed freckles.

"Mon? Dad?" She shouted as her voice echoed throughout the house.

Jack Bristow, or Jonathon Black as he was now known, stopped kissing his wife as he heard his eldest daughter call them.

"Sydney?" He called back. "We're out on the terrace."

Sydney walked out to greet her parents with a hug.

"Its nice to see you young lady. It's been over three months you know?" Irina, now known as Anita Black asked her newly graduated daughter.

"Oh mom don't be like that. I was travelling. I couldn't check in with you every day. Besides, I'm sure you had enough trouble looking after Isabelle and Daniel to worry about me." She smiled as they heard an ear piercing scream from inside the house.

A young girl ran from the house towards Irina.

"MOMMY! Dan said that Santa only comes to your house to steel little girls and take them back to the north pole to make toys for the little boys. TELL HIM IT'S NOT TRUE." She demanded stamping her foot.

"DANIEL BLACK, GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!" Jack shouted.

A young boy of thirteen came stomping out of the house.

"Why do you always have to upset Belle? She's only five."

Daniel looked at his father and shrugged. "She's just so annoying. She's always around me and when my friends come over, she's always bugging us."

"That's no reason to treat her like that. She's your sister and you need to look after her." Jack patted his son on the back and sent him back into the house.

Isabelle jumped up from her mothers embrace and ran in after him, her brown curls bobbing as she shouted, "Danny, wait for me. What are we going to play now?"

Sydney laughed and sat down next to her parents.

"So what have you been doing while you've been oh so busy to give your parents a call?"

"Well I've got a job at a bank back where I'm staying. It's a really good job and I'm learning tonnes of new skills."

"We're glad to hear that you're doing well honey. Does this mean that you're moving out permanently?" Irina asked as Jack put an arm around her.

"Yes Mom it does but I promise to ring you all the time and visit when I can. I have to get going. I have so much packing to do." Sydney went up to her room and started packing her things. Her mother and father started dinner.

"Oh, Jack. I'm going to miss her so much. It'll be hard without her around." Irina stopped chopping the vegetables and turned to her husband.

"Its ok to miss her. She's your daughter." He stroked her hair down.

"She's going to be in another in the same country, hell the same place that we lived in. Perhaps we should talk her out of it. I mean what if someone sees her and recognises her?" Irina went to leave the kitchen when jack pulled her back.

"Honey, no-one we know will even see her. She'll be in the bank. Even if they did see her, they won't recognise her. She has a different name and looks nothing like her younger self. Most importantly, they believe her to be dead."

"You're right. Lets just give her a brilliant dinner to make her want to come back and visit." She turned back to the chopping board.

As Sydney packed the last of her things, she heard her phone ring. She closed the door and answered.

"Hello?"

"Sydney. Hello. I just wanted to know when you would be coming back to the agency."

"Hello Mr Sloane. I'll be back as soon as possible. My parents decided to cook me a goodbye dinner but after that, I'll be on the first plane back."

"Ok then. When you come back we have a very important mission for you."

"Yes sir. I'll be back by tomorrow." She hung up the phone and went down to dinner thinking that her parents had no idea just what kind of life she now led. Her life was exciting and thrilling. Nothing like theirs. Her mother the local primary school teacher and her father a karate instructer.

They simply had no idea.

Fin

a/n – that's the end for now. There may be a sequel in the works if enough of you want it. Give me some ideas and I'll work on it, though not for a while. Thanks


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